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Despite the chilling cold and rainy weather of Nairobi, a large group of more than 250 devotees assembled at the Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Mandir to commemorate the ISKCON’s golden jubilee. Amongst them were HH Bhakti Narasimha Swami(South Africa), HG Akhandadhi Prabhu(UK), ISKCON Nairobi Vice President Rukuma Prabhu,HG Manasi Ganga Mataji, and 90 jubilant students that celebrated attaining a Certificate of Ethics and Morality after a year-long course on Vaishnava philosophy. The programme is run by the Hare Krishna Training Center, part of ISKCON Nairobi.

The goal is to introduce students to the ageless wisdom of Vedic philosophy and practice of Krishna Consciousness. The centre seeks to further A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s mission of preaching to all people around the world. The centre also seeks to establish a large pool of devotees by targeting mostly young students from local universities who have an interest in understanding their purpose in life. By offering character building courses, students are not only introduced to the need to live an ethically astute and morally sound life as young adults, but are also introduced to the unwavering practice of Krishna Consciousness that is a much needed weapon against the vagaries of society in an increasingly volatile East African region struggling with poverty, Islamic fundamentalism, corruption, and ethnically motivated conflict and violence. Perhaps the pure love for Krishna and the peace that comes with it could not have come in handy. It is akin to the 60s when Prabhupada gave the hippies the Krishna Conscious “drug” for self-realization.

By rigorously engaging in a study of Prabhupada’s books, the students are introduced to the practice of devotional service and Krishna Consciousness while also pursuing their academic and material lives. The programme has grown over time since its inception in 2012 when 6 students graduated, to 25 students in 2013, 60 students in 2014, 75 students in 2015, and eventually 90 students in 2016. In 2016, a total of 670 students attended classes with some of them missing out having taken long holidays coinciding with their academic calendars at the respective colleges and universities. The exponential growth is partly due to the testimony from many students who have gone through the programme and found it fulfilling and worthwhile.

According to Allan Mbugua, one of the students who have been attending the classes for more than a year, “God can do without man, but man cannot do without God”. He lauded the openness, directness, and practical approach of Krishna consciousness in fostering one’s spirituality. Although most of them first came to the temple for the sumptuous prasadam that was being served after the classes, it was Prabhupada’s teachings on Vaishnava philosophy that have kept them coming for classes at the center. “If you find someone who teaches you how to practice spirituality then that is the best friend”, he continued. The inclusivity that is practiced by the Hare Krishna’s is a critical ingredient in today’s society if peace and cohesion is to be attained. The course has rescued most of them from engaging in mundane material sense gratification such as intoxication thus benefitting them morally. Each year, the curriculum is built around one of Prabhupada’s books, and in 2016, The Journey of Self-Discovery provided an incisive and enriching spiritual sojourn for the students. Its sharp philosophical buildup coupled with Prabhupada’s critical but practical approach to addressing tough questions was essential for the students’ introspection of their morality and dharma. The programme is run by facilitators from the Training Center who are essentially second and third year resident students that have either resided in the ashram for some time before joining the Center or have excelled in the study of Prabhupada’s books and are also guiding more than 40 resident students in Krishna Consciousness. The center currently boasts ten qualified facilitators from amongst its students who have mastered some of Prabhupada’s books and paperbacks.

According to the programme’s founders Govinda Prem Das and Gaurasakti Das the growth in student numbers is just a beginning. The main objective is to make the center rise to college level with the ability to offer training that leads to bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees for those students from, and elsewhere around the world, seeming as Prabhupada envisioned the growth of Nairobi to the epitome of Krishna Consciousness in Africa. Everyone entering the Training Center first reads instructions every time they set foot at the doorsteps to “keep the Nairobi Center always very active, nicely decorated, worship the deities just to the highest standards, making sure that all of the students are rising to attend the mangala aratrika, chanting regularly sixteen rounds, reading books-in this way utilize what Krishna has given us there and develop it for the headquarters building for Africa”.

At the moment, the Center shall be offering a Bhakti Sadachar course for its resident students while the ethics and morality courses offered to external students living around shall continue acting as a prerequisite for admission to the Training Centre. It will also be offering an informal Bhakti Sastri course to its more senior students in preparation for the course and exam elsewhere in one of ISKCON’s centers around the world as it is yet to receive ISKCON accredited teachers to conduct the programme. Whichever the case, it is capitulation beyond imagination that there is more to come from the Nairobi Centre in the years to come. Its growth is inevitable thanks to Prabhupada’s vision, desire, and mercies. In due course Lord Chaitanya’s mission shall be fulfilled as the names of Krishna shall ring in every village, every household, and every mouth in Kenya particularly, and Africa at large.

By Bhakta George Shihundu
B.A (Political Science)
Programme Coordinator
Hare Krishna Training Centre

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=33573